I could see through the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked Lake Superior that Henry had picked a table toward the back of the restaurant.

He had no idea what I looked like but of course I could recognize him.

I had seen countless ads in the local Rocky Point newspaper promoting his show.

He sported a shock of blonde hair and even though we had what seemed like about a month of summer in Rocky Point…he looked like he had just finished a 3-week vacation in the Cayman Islands. 

God, he was really good-looking.  He looked even better in person.  I suddenly felt very nervous.

I was glad I had put blonde streaks in my shoulder-length, brown hair and had taken advantage of the past two sunny days to extend my tan.  I knew I looked pretty damn good for an “older” woman…maybe a little on the thin side…but I was working on that.

This was like a date…right?  Oh hell…am I too old for this?

I hadn’t been to this restaurant before but I had visited here yesterday…to get the “lay of the land”.

I often did this when I was going to new places…to eliminate any surprises or potential parking problems.

As I entered the restaurant the hostess remembered me from yesterday’s visit.  She came over to me right away.

I told her I was meeting someone today and thanked her for her attention.

I started to walk towards Henry who was looking out the window.

As I got closer, he turned and saw me coming toward him…my trusty cane helping me along the way.  I stopped and took off my sunglasses.

My vision had improved in the last four months, so even though I still couldn’t read a book…I could see Henry’s face quite clearly.

I saw him tilt his head to the side…and I could see him knit his brow…ever so slightly.

It was not real obvious…but just enough for me to guess what he was thinking.

I had seen that look before.  It was that “Ohhh…” look.

As in…”Ohhh…she needs a cane to walk…I wonder what’s wrong with her?”

Was he wondering if I was Annabelle?

The sexy laugh he loved and the  conversations we had shared over the past few months probably did not match the woman he now saw or was expecting to see…walking in his direction.  

There was no doubt that I was definitely not what he had expected.  I’m sure he would have made the best of it…but I had been to that rodeo before…and did not plan to go again.

I continued to slowly walk down the aisle.  As I moved closer to him, I saw that he was smiling…but a little tentatively.

“Annabelle?”  he questioned.

I turned towards him and said, “Excuse me?”

“Oh…oh…” he said. “I don’t suppose your name is Annabelle by chance?”  Henry sounded unsure…how very odd. Henry never sounded unsure.

“My name is Karla.” I answered politely and continued to move on to the rear exit that I had discovered from my exploratory mission yesterday.

I would have been a perfect boy scout…had I been a boy.  I was always prepared.